


Reasons

by icarus_chained



Category: Saiyuki
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Prompt Fic, Serious Injuries, Violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-08-22
Updated: 2012-08-22
Packaged: 2017-11-12 15:32:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 656
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/492789
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/icarus_chained/pseuds/icarus_chained
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Cho Gonou, wounded after Chin Yisou's attack, finds himself on Mt Gogyou, and in the company of a strange young man</p>
            </blockquote>





	Reasons

**Author's Note:**

> The prompt was: a fic where Hakkai, not Sanzo, found Goku in the cave. So. Taking it that Cho Gonou, wounded after the attack on Hyakugen Maoh, somehow stumbled on Mt Gogyou instead of into Gojyo's path?

"...Hey."

A soft voice, hesitant, perhaps a little nervous. Gonou ... considered opening his eyes. Just to see who it was. But the wound in his stomach, beneath his hands, had sapped his strength. And above it, the deeper one, so much deeper, the one that wore her memory, had sapped his will. It wasn't worth it. Could not be. Not now.

"Hey. Are you okay?"

Young, Gonou thought absently. A young boy? Kind, too. So far, at least. A small wonder, that.

"Oh." Hands touched him, very gently, brushed under the remains of his shirt above his kidneys. Gonou didn't flinch. There didn't seem to be much point. "Not okay, then."

He hadn't flinched. But he did laugh. A soft, vague snort. Not okay, no. Not that.

"Hey!" Brighter, cheered. Just by a laugh. By so simple a thing. "You're still alive in there. That's good!"

Gonou opened his eyes. Just for that, he opened his eyes, and turned his head sideways to face his companion. He blinked, a little, his eyes have trouble adjusting, and saw ... A round, cheerful face, concerned golden eyes, and beyond ... the stone bars of a cage.

The scene flashed across his vision before he could stop it. Other bars, metal this time, another cage. Another prisoner. And ... what had happened to her.

"Hey! Hey! Hey, stop that!"

He blinked back, remembered himself, and found his hand locked about the ... the boy's wrist. The youkai's wrist. His hand, stained with his own blood, was doing its best to crush that wrist. And managing ... not at all.

"You ... Youkai," he managed, softly. Shivering with the remembrance. Still lost inside it.

The boy shook his head, golden eyes curious and unworried. "Youkai?" he asked, lightly. "What's a youkai?" And then, after a tiny pause. "And, um. Should you be bleeding that much?"

Gonou laughed. A choked, inelegant sound, but a laugh. "No," he said, shortly. He shouldn't be. What he should be, was dead. Very much so. Idly, he wondered why he wasn't.

"Okay," the boy said. "Do you want me to fix it?" At Gonou's blank stare, he flushed, but continued. "I mean. Blood should be on the inside, right? All I have to do is keep it there?"

Gonou's face twitched, a strange humour, a strange lassitude, rolling through him. Not fear. What had he left to fear? She was gone, and nothing that happened to him mattered now. But this boy. This youkai. Perhaps ...

"It's ... a little more complicated than that," he said, softly. Rolling a little onto his side, ignoring the fresh surge of pain. Finding a smile, fixing it carefully to his face. "It might be too late."

A frown, then. Crossing that cheerful face, scrunching in rejection of the concept. Gonou chuckled, faintly. Enjoying the passion, at least.

"My name is Gonou," he said, holding out the same bloodied hand as before, watching with a slight smile as the boy blinked at it, and then took it with enough enthusiasm (and strength) to put it in all the danger the boy's wrist apparently hadn't had to worry about. "Cho Gonou. I'm -ah- I'm pleased to meet you ...?"

"Goku," the boy answered, promptly, and happily. "I'm Goku." He frowned faintly, a flutter of pain, confusion. Loneliness, Gonou thought. "I don't really remember the rest."

Gonou smiled. Falteringly, flinchingly. For a moment, feeling nothing but a rush of envy. And then, nothing but a surge of pity.

"Then shall we make you some new memories?" he asked, gently. Wryly. "Perhaps, among the first of them ... how to put a stomach back together?"

And though the boy - though _Goku_ \- grimaced in some disgust, those oh-so-powerful hands were gentle, as they touched Gonou, and that smile was bright, as he listened to where Gonou said to send them.

Well then. Perhaps ... that was enough, for now. A good enough reason, not to be dead. 

At the very least, they should see.

**Author's Note:**

> No, I've no idea how Gonou got _inside_ Goku's cage. *grins sheepishly, shrugs* Mind you, there was probably some divine intervention involved to get him there to start with, so ...


End file.
